Liberty home invasion

October 25, 2007 at 2:00a.m.

LIBERTY — Township police are looking for two men who entered a home, terrorizing the residents and stealing thousands of dollars in property. Police reported the men brandishing guns entered a home in the 1900 block of Oriel Rogers Road on Saturday afternoon. Occupants of the home told police an 87-year-old woman was pistol-whipped and thrown to the floor. Two other occupants, 21- and 26-year-old men, were also forced to the floor at gunpoint. All three residents’ faces were covered with newspaper. The two men, police were told, took their time searching the house for valuables and demanding money. One of the residents eventually handed over money held in a cigar box. They also made off with wallets, jewelry, a rifle and electronics. Total value of items taken is listed at close to $3,000. Victims said the intruders left in a white SUV.

Sentenced for arson

YOUNGSTOWN — An arsonist, who torched the East Side house she rented after she received an eviction notice, has received a two-year prison sentence. Judge John M. Durkin of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court sent Rose Muldrow-Starkey, 52, to the Ohio Reformatory for Women in Marysville on Tuesday in the June 5 fire at 118 Ayers St. Muldrow-Starkey had pleaded guilty as charged Aug. 24 to aggravated arson. She’ll get credit for the 141 days she has already been jailed awaiting court action in this case. Firefighters estimated damage from the 12:30 a.m. blaze at $9,000.

Sewer line breaks

YOUNGSTOWN — A break in a sewer line that is more than 100 years old will keep South Phelps Street closed to vehicular traffic between West Boardman and West Federal streets through Friday. The city hired Utility Contracting Inc. of Youngstown to do the emergency repair work on the 36-inch sewer line, located next to city hall.

Animal cruelty charges

WARREN — A 46-year-old Warren woman pleaded innocent to eight counts of animal cruelty. Melanie Tanner appeared Wednesday before municipal Judge Thomas Gysegem. She was released on a $1,500 bond and will return Dec. 6 for a hearing. According to the police report, authorities went to 1543 Woodbine Ave., a house that she and her husband said they rented. There was the smell of urine and fecal matter coming from the house. The city building official condemned the house, and the couple was ordered to vacate it. Police returned the next day. The couple had left the house but left 13 dogs, two cats and two rabbits behind. The report said several of the dogs were in poor health, diseased, emaciated and covered with fleas. Ron Simone, Trumbull County deputy dog warden, said he had to euthanize the sick dogs he removed from the house.

Speaker at temple event

LIBERTY — Eric Rozenman, Washington director of CAMERA — the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America — will be the guest speaker at the ZOA event honoring Dr. Zeev Rabinowitz at 7:30 tonight at Temple El Emeth, Liberty. CAMERA is a Boston-based news media-monitoring organization with more than 50,000 members in the United States, Canada, Israel and 10 other countries. Before joining CAMERA in 2002, Rozenman was executive editor of B’nai B’rith’s International Jewish Monthly magazine and senior speech writer from 1997 to 2002. From 1992 to 1997, he edited the Washington Jewish Week. He also has edited Near East Report, the newsletter of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, a lobbying group, worked for former Congressman Bob Shamansky, and reported for Ohio Scripps-Howard Newspapers.

Benefit for Habitat

YOUNGSTOWN — Youngstown State University is sponsoring a community aluminum can collection to benefit the Mahoning County chapter of Habitat for Humanity. The can drive will be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the YSU Recycling Center at the corner of Harrison and Adams streets. Children’s games with candy and prizes will be held from noon to 1 p.m., and refreshments and door prizes will be available throughout the day.